MI5 revealed this morning that they are joining Instagram to “reach out in new ways” to members of the public and increase transparency about the organisation.
I’m sure the move will be good for public engagement, but it just feels a bit... weird? I suppose that’s the point — the move is an attempt by the Security Service to debunk popular myths about its work in a bid to rid itself of “martini-drinking stereotypes”.
MI5 has always been synonymous with a certain mystery and allure, which is perhaps why it seems an anathema for officials to be mingling with us mere plebs on Instagram. It’s almost akin to the Queen starting a vlogging channel.
I know it’s not like MI5 will start posting “felt cute, might delete later” selfies, or captions like “lol guys just thwarted a nuclear attack with seven seconds to go!” The account, @mi5official, will be used to host Q&As with serving intelligence officers, promote career opportunities, and reveal never-before-seen material from the archives of its 112-year history. Urging people to follow the service, MI5 boss Ken McCallum said: “You can insert your own joke about whether we will be following you.”
The novelty of corporations using social media platforms should have —and in a lot of ways has — worn off by now. Businesses have long harnessed the power of the Twitter PR machine to try to be relatable or woke — particularly British supermarkets apparently (the caterpillar cake wars were entertaining for a while but, let’s be honest, they have milked it now). There is a very fine line between clever marketing and cringe, and global corporations often fall onto the wrong side.
However, there is still an element of excitement when celebrities of a certain calibre pop up on social media or appear to do normal person things, which is why MI5 feels a bit different. It’s like when Barack Obama reveals his favourite songs of the year and you realise you’re only one Megan Thee Stallion-shaped degree of separation from the former President. Or seeing Malala Yousafzai joking on TikTok.
I suppose this is the new normal, even for an organisation in the business of secrecy. I wonder, if MI6 follow suit, will the next James Bond film feature 007 posting boomerangs of his martinis to his “close friends’” Instagram story.
